Method of controlling viewability of a display screen and a device therefor by placing an LCD in front of a CRT

Abstract

A display includes a display screen for displaying information. A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel adjoins the display screen. The LCD panel is controlled to selectively define a viewing angle within which a selectable portion of the display screen is viewable through the LCD panel. The LCD panel includes a plurality of energizable segments which, when energized, are transparent to allow the selectable portion of the display screen to be viewed. Each of the plurality of energizable segments is selectively energizable to selectively enable corresponding portions of the display screen to be viewed.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A method of controlling viewability of a selectable portion of a display screen of a self-service transaction terminal to prevent a person other than a customer carrying out a transaction at the self-service transaction terminal from viewing the selectable portion of the display screen while the customer is carrying out the transaction, the method comprising the steps of: (a) locating a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel having energizable segments in a position adjoining the display screen; and   (b) selectively energizing segments of the LCD panel such that the selectable portion of the display screen is viewable by the customer only within a predetermined viewing angle relative to the selectable portion of the display screen and is unviewable by a person outside the predetermined angle relative to the selectable portion of the display screen.   
     
     
       2. A method of controlling viewability of a selectable portion of a display screen of a self-service transaction terminal to prevent a person other than a customer carrying out a transaction at the self-service transaction terminal from viewing the selectable portion of the display screen while the customer is carrying out the transaction, the method comprising the steps of: (a) locating a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel having energizable segments in a position adjoining the display screen; and   (b) selectively energizing segments of the LCD panel such that (i) the customer is able to view the selectable portion of the display screen through the LCD panel only when the customer is within a viewing angle defined by either non-energized or energized segments of the LCD panel, and (ii) a person other than the customer is unable to view the selectable portion of the display screen through the LCD panel when the person is outside the viewing angle.   
     
     
       3. A self-service transaction terminal for enabling a customer to carry out a desired transaction, the self-service transaction terminal comprising: means for (i) receiving a user's identifying card from the customer, (ii) reading data from the user's identifying card, and (iii) verifying the data read from the user's identifying card to allow the customer to carry out the desired transaction;   a display including a display screen for displaying information;   a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel adjoining the display screen; and   means for controlling the LCD panel to selectively define a viewing angle within which the customer can view a selectable portion of the display screen through the LCD panel and outside of which a person other than the customer is unable to view the selectable portion of the display screen.   
     
     
       4. A self-service transaction terminal according to claim 3, wherein the LCD panel includes a plurality of energizable segments which, when energized, are transparent to allow the customer carrying out the transaction to view the selectable portion of the display screen. 
     
     
       5. A self-service transaction terminal according to claim 4, wherein the control means includes means for selectively energizing the plurality of energizable segments to selectively enable corresponding portions of the display screen to be viewed. 
     
     
       6. A self-service transaction terminal according to claim 3, wherein the control means includes means for (i) selectively energizing a first group of segments of the LCD panel such that the customer is able to view the selectable portion of the display screen through the LCD panel only when the customer is within a first viewing angle defined by the first group of energized segments of the LCD panel, and (ii) selectively energizing a second group of segments of the LCD panel such that the customer is able to view the selectable portion of the display screen through the LCD panel only when the person is within a second viewing angle defined by the second group of energized segments of the LCD panel. 
     
     
       7. A self-service transaction terminal according to claim 3, wherein the LCD panel lies in contact with the display screen. 
     
     
       8. A self-service transaction terminal according to claim 3, wherein the LCD panel is spaced apart from the display screen.